BDO WORLD DARTS CHAMPIONSHIP 2019 SCHEDULE: TUESDAY 8 JANUARY

It’s day four of the BDO World Championship. And it’s time for the women’s top seed and the men’s world champion to join the Lakeside party.

That’s to come in the evening session. First, there are four intriguing afternoon ties to be completed. The first of them sees 11th seed Dave Parletti take on Krzysztof Kciuk. Just over a year ago, Parletti was in hospital in the Czech Republic, fighting for his life. Now the postman is at the Lakeside, and is keen to deliver. Kciuk, who saw off Brian Løkken in the preliminary round, will want to continue his own feelgood BDO World Championship story.

The winner of that tie would meet the second afternoon session game’s victor in round two. Scott Mitchell, the 2015 champion, will feel that he can stake a claim to the title again this year. He meets Oliver Ferenc, who did well to beat Ryan Hogarth in the preliminary round. The third match of the session is between Aileen de Graaf and Paula Jacklin, who will be hoping to do better than the three first round 2-0 defeats she has suffered in her three Lakeside appearances. Two of those whitewashes, incidentally, came at de Graaf’s hands.

Ross Montgomery closes out the afternoon session looking to successfully navigate a first round clash with Scott Baker. The Mod was unlucky to lose in the first round last year, pipped to the post by Andy Baetens in a thriller. He’ll feel he has more than a good chance against the 15th seed, who has a hideous Lakeside record. Montgomery has fallen at the first hurdle in all of his last three visits, and will be desperate to avoid a repeat.

Heading for a hat-trick?

Only two players have ever won three or more world titles in a row; Phil Taylor (eight between 1995-2002 and three from 2004-2006) and Eric Bristow (1984-1986). Glen Durrant could join their ranks in the coming days. At that point Duzza could be considered a genuine darting great. But there’s a long way to go until history is made. Durrant has lost just two sets across the five first round games he has played at Frimley Green. Mark McGrath, who coasted to a strange 3-0 win over Adam Smith-Neale, slots into the role of underdog and will need to pull out all the stops to cause a shock.

Men’s top seed Mark McGeeney successfully survived the first round. Now it’s the turn of the women’s number one, Lorraine Winstanley. She has seen Lisa Ashton and Deta Hedman fall already, but should be concerned about becoming a big scalp herself. Casey Gallagher walloped the then-defending World Masters champion at the 2018 event, so she has the capacity to win this one. But Winstanley is in good form, and will be feeling confident.

Chris Landman goes head-to-head with Kyle McKinstry in the evening’s third tussle, before Gary Robson meets David Cameron. Last year Robson was an alternate, thrashed in round one by Glen Durrant. Now among the top seeds, the three-time quarter-finalist can set his sights on a lengthy run. But Cameron, fresh off beating Andy Hamilton, would love to grace the second round for the first time. Most backed Hamilton to beat the Canadian, and were wrong – perhaps the odds could be upset once more.

Click here for more information about the 2019 BDO Lakeside World Championship.